A transport of delight

Launched during the summer of 2016, Scania’s S-series tractor units brought a whole new level of luxury to long distance driving. This truck had been developed for supreme comfort and style, with the focus on driver environment, interior space, safety and reliability. The interior design brought a new level of refinement to the driving experience, with stylish interiors featuring perfectly matched colours, materials and finishes.

Improved visibility, upgraded lighting and more powerful yet efficient engines added to the appeal to both operators and drivers alike. The new highliner variant meant that this was the highest cab offered by Scania at the time, adding to the comfort on particularly long-distance trips. Engines were specified up to the massive 730hp, 16-litre V8 - and this is where NZG's marvellous new model steps into the spotlight - the V8 730S.

We reviewed NZG’s Scania 730S tractor unit as a standalone model, early in 2021in Diecast Collector, but now, we’ve got our hands on an example of it with its intended partner – the Lohr car transporter trailer. So let’s not mince our words here, this is a proper monster of a model - in the good way. With a combined length of 1240 mm from the front of the cab to the rear of the trailer, NZG's incredible replica is hugely impressive, quite literally. At 1/18 scale, this is a considerable investment of both time and space, but it’s worth every penny and inch of both.

The features are plenty and, given NZG's reputation, the build quality is, not surprisingly, superb. The front axle is steerable and the cab can be tilted, affording access to the V8 engine, which features some excellent detailing. There is also an opening service flap. The chassis is sprung and, to the rear, the fifth wheel coupling is lockable. Both cab doors open, revealing a sumptuously-detailed interior, with excellent upholstery - even the armrests are adjustable - and a wealth of dashboard detail. The roof spoiler is adjustable and there are two brake chocks included. Finally, as if this wasn't all enough, there is a chromed accessory set, No 10192, available separately that comprises a tiltable 'ram' bar, front bar with marker lights, and two side bars with marker lights.

Moving onto the trailer, this is exquisitely engineered and takes a bit of time to put together, but makes for a robust unit on which to display up to eight 1/18 scale cars. The car decks are all individually poseable and, in some cases, extendable – making for a myriad of display options. The upper deck can, of course, be angled down in loading/unloading positions should you wish to display it like this, complete with the supplied loading ramp. I chose a load of six of DNA’s beautiful Saab replicas – particularly poignant given the Scania connection of course. The photo of these six loaded onto the trailer gives you a good idea as to the size of the whole combo. Just a note about this image – I didn’t attach the side fences to the decks for the photo, so that we could fully appreciate these Swedish beauties.

The whole combination is finished in the livery of The Mosolf Group, one of the leading system service providers for the automobile industry in Europe. The range of services at the family business, which was founded in 1955 and has its headquarters in Kirchheim unter Teck, includes tailor-made logistics, technical and service solutions. These are provided using a network of business sites across Europe and a multi-modal fleet that combines different means of transport.

As reference number 1026/01, this Mosolf Scania/Lohr combination comes with an RRP of £892.99 in the UK (other liveries are also available). Wholesale enquiries should be made to John Ayrey Die-casts (www.ayrey.co.uk) or, for retail enquiries, contact your preferred NZG supplier.